Ménière’s Disease

A Root Cause Apporoach to Lasting Relief

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Consistent Outcomes for Ménière’s Disease


Upper cervical care has demonstrated unprecedented positive outcomes for people suffering from Ménière’s disease, providing relief from debilitating symptoms like vertigo, tinnitus, and dizziness. Dr. Michael Burcon, a renowned upper cervical chiropractor who has published extensively and lectured internationally at Ménière’s disease conferences, has helped to clarify the powerful results possible through upper cervical care.


In one published study, Dr. Burcon reported a 97% improvement in vertigo symptoms among 300 consecutive patients. Notably, all these patients had a history of whiplash injuries an average of 15 years prior to the onset of their Ménière’s disease symptoms. His findings set a clear precedent for the outcomes that can be achieved by addressing upper cervical misalignments.


At Cerebral Chiropractic Center, our precision approach allows us to deliver similarly consistent results for people with Ménière’s disease. By targeting the root cause of symptoms through advanced upper cervical care, we help patients regain their quality of life.


The Problems Behind Ménière’s Disease


While the exact cause of Ménière’s disease remains unclear, research suggests that upper cervical misalignments play a significant role. These misalignments disrupt critical functions in the body and contribute to issues tied to Ménière’s disease symptoms.


  1. Pressure on the Eustachian Tubes:
    Misalignments in the upper cervical spine can compress the Eustachian tubes, which regulate air pressure in the ear. This leads to improper pressure regulation, deterioration of the eardrum, and eventual hearing loss.
  2. Tension on Cranial Nerves:
    The brainstem and spinal cord are suspended by ligaments within the spinal canal. Upper cervical misalignments place tension on these ligaments, affecting cranial nerves responsible for balance and hearing.
  3. Diminished Brainstem Blood Flow:
    The vertebral arteries, which supply blood to the brainstem, can become compressed by upper cervical misalignments. Reduced blood flow contributes to balance problems and vertigo.
  4. Inflammation of the Upper Neck Joints:
    Whiplash injuries—strongly associated with Ménière’s disease—often inflame these joints, causing adhesions and nerve irritation. Symptoms may include neck pain, dizziness, headaches, and hearing loss.
  5. Turbulent Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF):
    The cerebrospinal fluid, which cushions and protects the brain and spinal cord, can become turbulent due to upper cervical misalignments. This irritates nerves responsible for balance and eye movements.
  6. Poor Immune Function:
    Nerves in the upper cervical spine influence immune responses in the inner ear. Misalignments can impair this function, leaving the ear vulnerable to infection and inflammation over time.


Precision Care: How Upper Cervical Care Helps Ménière’s Disease


At Cerebral Chiropractic, we specialize in addressing Ménière’s disease through the Advanced Orthogonal Technique, a highly precise and non-invasive form of upper cervical care. (Learn more about Advanced Orthogonal here.) This targeted approach focuses on correcting misalignments in the upper cervical spine, which are directly linked to the underlying causes of vertigo, tinnitus, and other debilitating symptoms.


Misalignments in the upper cervical spine can disrupt critical systems in the body, leading to issues such as:


  • Eustachian tube compression: Misalignments can block proper air pressure regulation in the ear, leading to hearing loss over time.
  • Tension on cranial nerves: The upper cervical spine impacts the nerves responsible for hearing and balance, which are easily irritated by misalignments.
  • Reduced blood flow to the brainstem: The vertebral arteries can become compressed, decreasing blood flow and contributing to balance problems and vertigo.
  • Inflammation of neck joints: Whiplash or neck injuries often inflame these joints, causing pain and worsening symptoms like dizziness and hearing issues.
  • Turbulent cerebrospinal fluid (CSF): Irregular CSF flow caused by upper cervical misalignments irritates the nerves responsible for balance and coordination.
  • Compromised immune function: Misalignments impair immune signals to the inner ear, leaving it vulnerable to infection.


Using the Advanced Orthogonal Technique, we carefully realign the upper cervical spine with gentle, non-invasive adjustments. Unlike traditional chiropractic care, this method involves no cracking, twisting, or popping of the neck. Instead, percussion sound wave technology delivers precise corrections tailored to your specific anatomy.


These corrections restore proper function to the Eustachian tubes, cranial nerves, brainstem, and inner ear. As these systems normalize, patients often experience relief from their Ménière’s disease symptoms and regain control of their lives. The reproducibility and consistency of these results are why upper cervical care is one of the most effective approaches to addressing Ménière’s disease at its root.


Real Stories: Hope for Ménière’s Disease


For many living with Ménière’s disease, the most frustrating part is not having a real answer or understanding the root cause of their symptoms. But when the root cause is identified and the treatment approach is precise and appropriate, there is hope that you can reclaim your life. At Cerebral Chiropractic, we’ve helped countless patients find lasting relief and get back to living the lives they deserve.


My vertigo symptoms are gone!

"Six weeks ago, I got very dizzy, and it started with a neck massage. When I got up, I couldn’t move my head—it felt like I was falling. A friend referred me to Dr. Chris Slininger at Cerebral Chiropractic, and I’m so glad they did. After persistent, sound wave adjustments and care, all of my dizziness is gone and staying gone!

On top of that, my posture has improved, and I feel steady on my feet again. I’m so thankful to have found the root cause and to finally be on my way to better health. If you’ve been struggling with vertigo like I was, I can’t recommend this care enough—it truly made a difference in my life."

– Debbie J.

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Get Help Today


If you’ve been diagnosed with Ménière’s disease and are looking for a lasting solution, it’s time to explore upper cervical care. At Cerebral Chiropractic in St. Petersburg, our experienced doctors specialize in using the Advanced Orthogonal Technique to address the root causes of Ménière’s disease.


During your consultation, we’ll perform a comprehensive evaluation, including neurological assessments and advanced imaging, to determine if upper cervical care is right for you. If you’re a candidate, we’ll create a personalized treatment plan to help you find relief and reclaim your quality of life.


Contact us today at (727) 677-0001 or click the button below to schedule your consultation. Relief from Ménière’s disease is within reach—take the first step today.

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References


  • Boneva D. Two Case Studies: Meniere’s Disease and Cervical Spine Trauma Post Upper Cervical Specific Chiropractic Care. 15th Annual Upper Cervical Spine Conference, Life University, Marietta, GA, November 21-22, 1998.
  • Burcon MT. Upper Cervical Protocol for Ten Meniere’s Patients. 9th Annual Vertebral Subluxation Research Conference, Sherman College of Straight Chiropractic, Spartanburg, SC, October 13-14, 2001.
  • Burcon M. Upper Cervical Protocol to Reduce Vertebral Subluxation in Ten Subjects with Menieres: A Case Series. J Vertebral Subluxation Res, June 2, 2008:1-8.
  • Burcon M. Cervical Specific Protocol and Results for One Hundred and Thirty Nine Meniere’s Patients. 2008 International Research and Philosophy Symposium, Sponsored by Sherman College of Straight Chiropractic, Spartanburg, South Carolina, October 17-19, 2008.
  • Burcon MT. Upper Cervical Specific Protocol and Results for 139 Patients with Medically Diagnosed Meniere's Disease. J Vertebral Subluxation Res, November 14, 2010:1-10.
  • Burcon MT. Cervical Specific Protocol and Results for 300 Meniere’s Patients Over Three Years. 8th Annual International Research and Philosophy Symposium, Sherman College of Chiropractic Spartanburg, South Carolina, October 22-23, 2011.
  • Jones MA, Salminen BJ. Meniere’s Disease Symptomatology Resolution with Specific Upper Cervical Care. J Upper Cervical Chiropr Res, March 29, 2012:31-9.
  • Pennington D, Miller JD. Successful Chiropractic Management of a Patient with Meniere’s Disease post Vestibular Nerve Section: A Case Report. J Upper Cervical Chiropr Res, November 30, 2015:34-40.
  • Burcon MT. Health Outcomes Following Cervical Specific Protocol in 300 Patients with Meniere’s Followed Over Six Years. J Upper Cervical Chiropr Res, June 2, 2016:13-23.
  • Chung J, O’Connell C. Resolution of Symptoms in a Patient Suffering from Meniere’s Disease Following Specific Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care: A Case Study & Review of Literature. J Upper Cervical Chiropr Res, January 9, 2017:1-7.
  • Gartner M, Bossart W, Linder T. Herpes virus and Ménière's disease, ORL J Otorhinolaryngol Relat Spec. 2008;70(1):28-31; discussion 31. doi: 10.1159/000111045. Epub 2008 Feb 1. 


Related Articles

Why Your Body Won't Leave Fight-or-Flight

By Dr. Chris Slininger, D.C., D.C.C.J.P • June 17, 2026
 I have spent a night before a big presentation lying in bed with my heart pounding, my breathing shallow, my whole body braced as if something were about to attack me. Nothing was. There was no threat in that room. My nervous system simply could not find the off switch. A lot of people live there all the time. They feel wired and exhausted at once, anxious for reasons they can’t name, unable to sleep, their stomach in knots, their resting heart rate sitting too high. They’ve usually been told it’s stress, or anxiety, or just the way they’re built. I want to offer a different explanation, because for many people there is a physical reason the alarm won’t switch off — and it’s one almost no one checks. Your neck is your brain’s safety sensor The upper neck is one of the richest sources of position information in your whole body. Roughly 70% of the signal your brain uses to know where your head is in space comes from the joints and small muscles of the upper cervical spine — far more than from your inner ear or your eyes. That signal feeds into the brainstem, into the vestibular nuclei, which sit right beside the centers that run your autonomic nervous system: the fight-or-flight and rest-and-digest balance. So your neck isn’t just holding your head up. It is constantly telling your brainstem whether the world is steady and whether you are safe. What happens when that sensor is damaged Now picture an injury to the upper neck — a whiplash, a fall, a concussion. The joints stop reporting cleanly. They send a distorted, mismatched signal. Your brain compares the input from your neck, your inner ear, and your eyes, and they no longer agree with each other. A brain receiving conflicting information about something as basic as which way is up does not relax. It reads mismatch as danger. And a brain that believes it is in danger keeps the sympathetic system switched on — heart rate up, muscles tight, digestion down, sleep broken. That is the lock. The threat isn’t out in the world. It’s a faulty signal coming from the top of the spine, and the body responds to it exactly as if a real threat were present. I felt it switch off in about two minutes The night I described, I finally had my upper neck adjusted — a precise correction to that junction. Within about two minutes my body dropped out of fight-or-flight and into a parasympathetic state. My heart rate came down, my breathing opened up, my head cleared. Nothing about the presentation had changed. What changed was the signal my brainstem was receiving from my neck. When the input corrected, the alarm stood down. Why I won’t talk around this I want to be plain about why this matters, because it is bigger than feeling tense. When you are stuck in fight-or-flight for months or years, it changes what it feels like to be alive. I know that ground personally. Years ago, while I was overseas, I went through a stretch of depression I would not wish on anyone. And I have lost two friends to suicide. Here is something I’ve come to believe from that. People in that place don’t hate their life. They hate life feeling like this. They hate the version of being alive that a hijacked nervous system hands them — the dread, the exhaustion, the flat certainty that nothing will ever feel okay again. That feeling is real. But it is a state, not a verdict. And when part of what is driving that state is a physical signal from an injured neck, that is something we can actually do something about. I am not telling you a neck adjustment cures depression, and I won’t pretend it does. I am telling you that for some people, a piece of the puzzle no one has ever checked is sitting at the very top of their spine, jamming their alarm system in the on position. Finding that piece can give a person room to breathe — and sometimes that room is enough to make the rest of the work of healing possible. The point If your body has been stuck on high alert and no one can find a reason, the reason may not be in your mind or your character. It may be in the signal your neck is sending your brain. That is a mechanical problem with a mechanical answer, and it is worth checking before you accept that this is simply how you have to live. If that turns out to be the source, it can be addressed — which means the way you feel right now is not necessarily the way you have to keep feeling.

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Our Doctors

Experts in Spinal and Neurological Care

Dr. Chris Slininger, DC, DCCJP

Craniocervical Specialist

Dr. Slininger focuses heavily on complex neurological conditions and advanced spinal challenges such as headaches, migraines, dizziness, vertigo, concussion, mTBI and more.

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Dr. Ethan Surprenant, DC

Upper Cervical Chiropractor

Dr. Surprenant specializes in innovative, non-invasive Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care, uniquely addressing complex neurological conditions like dysautonomia, migraines, headaches, cranio-cervical syndrome, to restore lasting neurological health.

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Dr. Devin Perdue, DC

Upper Cervical Chiropractor

Dr. Perdue is a seasoned Upper Cervical Chiropractor with advanced training in Functional Neurology, specializing in root-cause care for migraines, headaches, dizziness, vertigo, brain fog, POTS, and trigeminal neuralgia through precise, non-invasive correction.

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